Department for Transport

Heathrow Airport: Road Traffic

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the expansion of Heathrow Airport on local road networks.

Jesse Norman: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 19 November 2018.The correct answer should have been:

The Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) was designated on 26 July June 2018, paving the way for a development consent application. As part of the development of the Airports NPS, an Appraisal of Sustainability was undertaken which included analysis of surface impacts for all three options shortlisted by the Airports Commission. As part of the surface access requirements in the Airports NPS, the Government has specified that any applicant for development consent must submit a surface access strategy as part of their application.

Jesse Norman: The Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) was designated on 26 July June 2018, paving the way for a development consent application. As part of the development of the Airports NPS, an Appraisal of Sustainability was undertaken which included analysis of surface impacts for all three options shortlisted by the Airports Commission. As part of the surface access requirements in the Airports NPS, the Government has specified that any applicant for development consent must submit a surface access strategy as part of their application.

Roads: Exhaust Emissions

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the report entitled Highways England’s approach to delivering schemes through its ring-fenced funds, published in February 2018, whether the overall performance of the Highways England Air Quality Fund remains rated as red.

Jesse Norman: The red rating in the report prepared for the Office of Rail & Road (ORR) recognised the lack of available effective options (at that time) for mitigating poor air quality. Since then, Highways England have been undertaking an extensive programme of air quality research, and have identified large barriers, overhanging part of the carriageway, as a potentially effective measure. Highways England have also developed an outline implementation programme. Drawing on the Air Quality Designated Fund, based substantially on the provision of these barriers in specific locations.

Driving Tests

Royston Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to ensure that motorcycle awareness is part of the car driving theory test.

Jesse Norman: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s driver testing includes theory questions, hazard perception clips and the practical on road test. Motorcycle awareness is already part of the car theory test. The multiple choice part of the theory test includes questions about the vulnerability of motorcyclists, particularly in the adverse weather conditions, and about their visibility. The hazard perception part of the theory test includes many hazards involving motorcyclists; every candidate sitting the car theory test sees at least one hazard involving a motorcyclist.

High Speed Two Railway Line: Buckinghamshire

Dame Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what risk assessments have been made by (a) his Department and (b) HS2 Ltd on the effect of local government reorganisation in Buckinghamshire on the efficiency of (i) local community protection by Buckinghamshire local authorities and (ii) interaction between those authorities and HS2 Ltd.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Neither the Department, nor HS2 Ltd, anticipate that the local government reorganisation in Buckinghamshire will have any significant impact on the efficiency of (i) local community protection by Buckinghamshire local authorities, in relation to HS2, or (ii) interaction between those authorities and HS2 Ltd. The Department and HS2 Ltd work closely with all Buckinghamshire local authorities and have regular meetings at all levels. As the detail emerges of how the local structures and ways of working are likely to change, these discussions will continue as necessary to maintain smooth interactions.

Motor Vehicles: Theft

James Cartlidge: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on insurance premiums of theft from commercial vehicles.

Jesse Norman: Theft from commercial vehicles is not a risk required by law to be covered by motor insurance although it can often be purchased as an added extra.The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers and the Government does not generally intervene or seek to control the market.The independent financial services regulators, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority, regularly monitor the insurance market to make sure that it functions well.

Lichfield Trent Valley Station: Disability

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November to Question 190750, if he will (a) respond to the question of disabled access from the London side car park at Lichfield Trent Valley railway station and (b) provide Access for All funding for the construction of a ramp enabling disabled access from that car park to the station and its platforms; and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani: Access for All is already due to provide an accessible route into the station and to and between all platforms, including access to one of the car parks. As only around a fifth of UK stations have proper step free access we intend to target the new tranche of funding at stations that disabled passengers are unable to use, ensuring that Access for All will benefit the maximum number of people across the country. Additional scope at existing projects, such as an extra ramp, would therefore need to have third party funding.

Cycling

Ronnie Cowan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to (a) encourage and (b) promote uptake in the Cycle to Work scheme.

Jesse Norman: The Cycle to Work scheme is one of the many ways in which the Government is supporting cycling, as set out in the 2017 Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. Officials from the Department for Transport, Her Majesty’s Treasury and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs are currently finalising a review of the current guidance on the Cycle to Work scheme to provide greater clarity for employers on how the scheme works. The Department is planning to publish the revised guidance shortly.

Roads

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department holds discussions with Satnav companies on the suitability of roads for certain vehicles due weight and height restrictions.

Jesse Norman: The Department has had no such recent discussions. The Department is aware that manufacturers produce special satnav devices for lorries, in order to provide them with routing information appropriate to their vehicle. The Government has invested £3 million to help create a digital road map, with one aim being to ensure traffic keeps moving efficiently and safely on suitable routes. It includes information such as road widths, which could be used in satnavs to improve the quality and accuracy of routing advice. The map is available online at: www.os.uk/highways. Routing guidance provided by satnavs should only ever be considered as advisory. It is for individual device owners to ensure that they use their satnavs responsibly and with a proper understanding of their limitations. It is for individuals to determine the best route for their journey.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Employment: Electronic Tagging

Marion Fellows: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to ban the microchipping of employees by employers.

Kelly Tolhurst: If an employer required or encouraged implantation of microchips among its employees, it would raise several legal issues. While I am not aware of any cases being brought to test the legal position, it seems unlikely that such an invasive approach to security or monitoring would be found to be justifiable. So, it is likely to be difficult for an employer to show that such a practice would be consistent with the requirements of data protection legislation, health and safety requirements, and other legal obligations to employees.

Energy: Housing

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the target of upgrading 200,000 homes per year with energy efficiency measures by 2022 will be met.

Claire Perry: We estimate that around 1.2m homes will be treated under the current Energy Company Obligation between autumn 2018 and March 2022 on the basis of the lifetime bill saving targets that obligated energy suppliers have been set. This is set out on page 27 of the final impact assessment which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/energy-company-obligation-eco3-2018-to-2022?6543. Being a statutory obligation on energy suppliers to meet their targets, we have a high degree of confidence that the lifetime bill savings delivered through installing measures into homes will be met in full. Suppliers have flexibility as to how they phase delivery over the obligation period.

Life Sciences

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish the updated Life Sciences Sector Deal.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



We are continuing to work with partners across government and across the life sciences sector on an update to the Life Sciences Sector Deal and will publish it in due course.

Life Sciences: Small Businesses

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what provisions his Department has included within the updated Life Sciences Sector Deal to support the growth of small businesses.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



We are continuing to work with partners across government and across the life sciences sector on this and all measures included in the update to the Life Sciences Sector Deal will be set out in full at publication.

Scottish Limited Partnerships: Ownership

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate he has made of the number of Scottish limited partnerships that are qualifying under the terms of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017 and the Companies and Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) Regulations 2013.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



As of 31 October 2018, there are 31,982 Scottish Limited Partnerships (SLPs) registered with Companies House. I refer the Hon Member to the Department’s previous answer of 2 July 2018 to Question UIN 157784. All registered SLPs are eligible under the terms of the Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017. The above regulations also require a Scottish qualifying partnership (SQP) to register with Companies House and deliver information concerning its People with Significant Control (PSC). An SQP is a general partnership constituted under the law of Scotland that is a qualifying partnership under the Partnership (Accounts) Regulations 2008. On 31 October 2018, 378 bodies had declared as being eligible as SQPs and delivered PSC information to Companies House.

Limited Liability: Reviews

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to publish a response to his Department's consultation on the review of limited partnership law.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



I anticipate that the response to the Government’s consultation will be published before the end of the year.

Employment: Pastoral Care

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to support employers in the provision of pastoral care programmes.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



The Government encourages businesses to support the Stevenson Farmer mental health core standards, including the commitment to provide employees with good working conditions and ensure they have a healthy work life balance and opportunities for development. We are working with the Campaign to End Loneliness and a group of leading employers to develop case studies and good practice guidance to tackle loneliness and build social connections within the workforce. Acas has also published guidance for employers on how to promote wellbeing at work.

Technology and Innovation Centres: Staff

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of the workforce at the Catapult centres is (a) female, (b) BAME and (c) disabled.

Mr Sam Gyimah: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



The Catapult centres are independent organisations; therefore, their diversity data is not held by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy or UK Research and Innovation.

Consumers

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his Department plans to respond to the Green Paper on modernising consumer markets.

Kelly Tolhurst: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



The Government is committed to ensuring markets work in the interests of ordinary people and the Consumer Green Paper contained a number of provisions which safeguard consumer rights whilst ensuring competition benefits consumers. We will continue to develop policy options across the range of measures proposed in the green paper and will respond in due course.

Housing: Solar Power

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 23 July 2018 to Question 163508 on Housing: Solar Power and with reference to the Building Research Establishment's report, Fire and solar PV systems - recommendations for the photovoltaic industry, published on 17 July 2017, what steps his Department plans to take as a result of those recommendations.

Claire Perry: This interim report made recommendations to industry, standards bodies and training organisations for changes to further reduce the already very small risk of fires caused by solar photo-voltaic systems. Since its publication the BRE National Solar Centre has been working on behalf of the Department to ensure relevant bodies, such as the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, British Standards Institute and the International Electrotechnical Commission, are aware of the findings so they can take steps to update standards, guidance and advice accordingly. Most recently they held a workshop on 20th November, with relevant technical experts, to consider amongst other issues whether changes to building regulations might be required.

Aerospace Industry

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, at the planned timescale is for agreeing an aerospace sector deal; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington: We announced at Farnborough Airshow that Government would enter in to negotiations with the UK’s Aerospace Sector to agree a Sector Deal. Recognising that Aerospace is a leading sector in the UK, Ministers and Officials have been in negotiations with the sector since that time. We expect an ambitious Sector Deal to be agreed with industry in due course.

Space Technology

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with the space industry on future development; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah: I met with the Chair of the Space Sector Council in October to discuss future developments for the sector and we plan to meet again early in January. The Space sector published its ambitious ‘Prosperity from Space’ blueprint for accelerating innovation and growth in May, setting out how it would create 30,000 new high skill jobs across the UK. We continue to provide strong support to the space sector with recent funding of £50 million to kick-start small satellite launch and sub-orbital flight from UK spaceports, £99 million for the National Satellite Test Facility in Harwell and £92 million to design a national alternative to the EU’s Galileo satellite system.

Scottish Limited Partnerships

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many Scottish Limited Partnerships have maintained that they are unable to declare their Persons of Significant Control in each month since July 2017 due to the SLP stating that (a) it has no PSC because none of its partners has more than a 20 per cent stake, (b) it has not completed taking reasonable steps to identify its PSC, (c) it has a PSC but the required particulars have not all been confirmed, (d) it has a PSC that is another company or partnership that has no PSC and (e) it declares a non-registrable PSC which is not subject to the PSC disclosure requirement.

Kelly Tolhurst: The Hon Member raises five points. In relation to the first three, Companies House only holds information for the past 12 months, as detailed in the table below. With respect to her first question the information provided refers to SLPs with partners who have more than a 20% stake, whereas the nature of PSC control is based on partners who have 25% stakes. Number of SLPsPSC Statement TypeNov 17Dec 17Jan 18Feb 18Mar 18Apr 18May 18Jun 18Jul 18Aug 18Sep 18Oct 18(a)There is no PSC (partnership)118312341309136114121451153115931631166116631678(b) The partnership has not yet completed taking reasonable steps to find their PSC493249254920492149134638448844324341420637313542(c) The partnership has identified a PSC but their required particulars have not all been confirmed722725722712686706728667659650645635  In relation to the Hon Member’s fourth point, Companies House is not able to report this information. In relation to the Hon Member’s fifth point, Companies House do not have figures available for the number of SLPs who have declared a non-registrable PSC. This is an area that Companies House are working closely with civil society groups on to identify possible inaccuracies. Any potential issues that are, or have been, identified or reported to Companies House are followed up to seek clarification and/or to correct filings. Any cases where compliance is not achieved will be considered for possible prosecution action. There are no SLPs that fall under the Hon Member’s fourth point (point d).

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Democratic Republic of Congo: Deportation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Angolan counterpart on the expulsion of Congolese nationals from that country since 25 September 2018.

Harriett Baldwin: The United Nations has estimated that nearly 400,000 people have crossed from Angola into the Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of October following an expulsion order by the Government of Angola targeting irregular migrants. The UK is extremely concerned by reports of serious human rights violations by security forces on both sides of the border. We are in close contact with the UN and UNHCR in Angola, who most recently raised the concerns of the international community regarding the alleged human rights violations and the resulting humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola on 14 November.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Deportation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the number of Congolese nationals expelled from Angola by the Government of that country since 25 September 2018.

Harriett Baldwin: ​The United Nations has estimated that nearly 400,000 people have crossed from Angola into the Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of October following an expulsion order by the Government of Angola targeting irregular migrants. The UK is extremely concerned by reports of serious human rights violations by security forces on both sides of the border. We are in close contact with the UN and UNHCR in Angola, who most recently raised the concerns of the international community regarding the alleged human rights violations and the resulting humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola on 14 November.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Deportation

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of (a) human rights abuses perpetrated against Congolese nationals and (b) looting and theft of Congolese nationals’ possessions during recent operations by the Angolan authorities to expel Congolese nationals from that country.

Harriett Baldwin: The United Nations has estimated that nearly 400,000 people have crossed from Angola into the Democratic Republic of Congo since the beginning of October following an expulsion order by the Government of Angola targeting irregular migrants. The UK is extremely concerned by reports of serious human rights violations by security forces on both sides of the border. We are in close contact with the UN and UNHCR in Angola, who most recently raised the concerns of the international community regarding the alleged human rights violations and the resulting humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Angola on 14 November.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Refugees

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo on reported recent threats by members of that country’s Government to repatriate refugees from neighbouring countries in response to the recent expulsion of Congolese nations from Angola.

Harriett Baldwin: We continue to call for the effective and ethical settlement of displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The British Embassy is in close contact with the UN and UNHCR in DRC, and the UK regularly joins other members of the international community to highlight concerns with the Government of DRC over the situation of refugees and internally displaced people in the country. This includes maintaining pressure from the international community for an effective DRC response to the nearly 400,000 people that have crossed from Angola into DRC since the beginning of October 2018, and also to highlight concerns about the forced closure of IDP camps by the DRC Government in Tanganyika in August 2018. In April this year the UK announced a humanitarian uplift of £22m, bringing our contribution to the 2018 humanitarian appeal to £100m. This makes the UK the second largest bilateral humanitarian donor in DRC.​

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Democratic Republic of Congo on the findings of the recent UN report which noted a 35 per cent increase in human rights violations related to restrictions of democratic space before the presidential election on 23 December 2018 in that country.

Harriett Baldwin: The Foreign Secretary raised human rights and the importance of credible and fair elections when he met Foreign Minister Okitundu in October. I also raised these issues when I met him during the United Nations General Assembly in September. The British Ambassador in Kinshasa regularly meets the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Government to highlight the importance of political space in order to deliver credible and peaceful elections in December 2018.The UK played a key role at the June 2018 Human Rights Council which mandated the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (UNJHRO) to document and profile human rights violations in DRC. The UK most recently agreed a UN Security Council Statement on 22 November 2018, highlighting the need for political space and fundamental freedoms to be respected in DRC, and calling on all Congolese stakeholders to reject violence of any kind.

Uganda: Politics and Government

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Ugandan counterpart on preparations for a national dialogue between political parties in that country.

Harriett Baldwin: ​There are no agreed plans for a national dialogue between political parties in Uganda. The United Kingdom continues to encourage open and fair democratic processes and supports democratic accountability at national and local levels through our programming in the country.Ugandan opposition groups in the UK have been lobbying UK parliamentarians to support a national dialogue aimed at encouraging President Museveni to stand aside. The detention and alleged torture of opposition protestors, including 5 MPs, following violence surrounding the Arua by-election in the North of the country in August heightened concerns about the narrowing of political space. However, since being released from prison, opposition MPs have been able to campaign without harassment and the government appears to have responded to international concerns. Minister Baldwin raised concerns with the Ugandan Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in October.In our regular dialogue with the Ugandan government, the UK stresses the importance of protecting public order in a way that also protects the rights to freedom of expression and assembly. During the 2016 election, the UK worked with the international community to support the electoral environment and underlined the importance for Uganda's future of credible, inclusive and transparent elections that respect human rights.The UK supports good governance in Uganda through the following programmes:The Governance, Accountability, Participation and Performance programme (a partnership with USAID) which works with local government to strengthen the ability of citizens to hold their local governments to account, report corruption, build capacity and enhance accountability.The Uganda Accountability Programme which contributes to better quality public services by promoting greater accountability in the use of public resources.The Strengthening Uganda's Anti-Corruption and Accountability Regime programme which supports Uganda's anti-corruption and accountability institutions to increase their ability to deter, detect and punish corruption.

Togo: Elections

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government plans to take to help ensure that the parliamentary election on 20 December 2018 in Togo is conducted in a free and fair manner.

Harriett Baldwin: The UK has supported the President of Ghana, under the auspices of ECOWAS, in his mediation efforts on political dialogue which we hope will lead to free and fair elections in Togo on 20 December. The mediation recommended that all parties refrain from protest in the country leading up to the elections. We encourage both the Government and the opposition parties to continue with their efforts to reach an agreed political solution and ensure elections are free and fair and avoids violence.

Togo: Politics and Government

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the parliamentary election in Togo on 20 December 2018 on efforts to resolve the political crisis in that country.

Harriett Baldwin: ​We encourage all parties to engage in peaceful dialogue with a view to adopting political reforms that will strengthen democracy in Togo. We are engaging with the Government of Togo and partners in the region to urge a peaceful solution to the protests in the country which will enable local and legislative elections to take place peacefully on 20 December 2018.

Central African Republic: Peacekeeping Operations

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the efficacy of the UN peacekeeping mission MINUSCA in protecting civilian security, life, and rights in the Central African Republic, and what assessment he has made of the effect of (a) troop levels, (b) resourcing levels, and (c) the temporary nature of the mandate, in determining that level of efficacy in the last 12 months.

Harriett Baldwin: ​The UK commends MINUSCA's efforts to respond to, and stop, the violence and uphold its mandate to protect civilians. In order to achieve peace in the Central African Republic, efforts to stabilise the country in the short term must go hand in hand with longer-term progress on reconciliation, justice, and peace-building.We are committed to working within the UN Security Council to ensure that MINUSCA can deliver support to the AU Peace Initiative as part of its mandate.As part of the latest mandate renewal process, the UN Secretary General recommended maintaining the mission's current troop ceiling. The UN General Assembly agreed a gross budget of US$930 million for MINUSCA for the current UN peacekeeping financial year. The UK contributes 5.8 per cent, which for the last UK financial year amounted to £40.5 million.Separately, I am aware of the death of a Tanzanian soldier on 16 November, serving with MINUSCA forces in CAR. I have passed on my condolences to the government of Tanzania.

Eritrea: Emigration

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of people seeking to leave Eritrea; and what steps the Khartoum Process is taking to reduce this.

Harriett Baldwin: There are no reliable figures for the number of people leaving Eritrea.The UK plays a leading role in the Khartoum Process. It is a member of the steering committee, and has ensured the €46 million Better Migration Management (BMM) programme, which supports the Process, includes projects to improve the capacity of governments in the region to manage their borders, alongside the protection and support of migrants. The UK has offered its support to the Eritrean Government's Chairmanship of the Khartoum Process in 2019, drawing on our own experience as chair in 2016.

Diplomatic Service: EU Countries

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether UK citizens may continue to seek consular and diplomatic protection from EU member states in countries where the UK is not represented after the UK leaves the EU.

Harriett Baldwin: ​The UK has significant expertise in crisis preparedness and consular affairs. Thanks to its extensive global footprint of 273 posts in 169 countries and territories, and its network of Honorary Consuls, the UK is able to provide professional consular services worldwide. In addition to our network, people who need assistance can call any of our embassies, high commissions or consulates, or the FCO switchboard, 24/7 for advice or help. The UK is open to maintaining a close level of cooperation with the EU, if this is perceived to be of mutual benefit, on crisis preparedness and consular affairs, including the provision of consular assistance to unrepresented EU citizens in third countries on a reciprocal basis. Details of this offer have been published on gov.uk, most recently in a technical note on coordination on external security.

Sudan: Radio

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding has been allocated by his Department to the Sudanese media outlet Radio Dabanga in each of the last five years.

Harriett Baldwin: ​The British Government has not provided funding for Radio Dabanga in any of the last five years.

Interpol

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he had with his US counterpart prior to the election of a new President for Interpol.

Sir Alan Duncan: In the run up to the election, there were many contacts between Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Home Office and National Crime Agency officials with their American counterparts as well as allies in many other countries. The government congratulates Kim Jong-yang on his successful election.

Thailand: Detainees

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if the Government will publish an assessment of past UK intelligence cooperation relating to the US detention facility in Thailand which was formerly overseen by Gina Haspal, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency.

Sir Alan Duncan: ​It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on intelligence matters.

Jamal Khashoggi

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether UK intelligence shares the conclusion of the US Central Intelligence Agency that the recent murder of Jamal Khashoggi was carried out on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on intelligence matters.

Jamal Khashoggi

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the veracity of allegations by the Government of Saudi Arabia that Jamal Khashoggi was (a) a member of the Muslim Brotherhood and (b) an enemy of the state of Saudi Arabia.

Alistair Burt: ​Since the Saudi Public Prosecutor announced the initial findings of the Saudi investigation, the UK has called for the continuation of the investigation. We expect this to proceed in line with internationally recognised legal standards.The UK condemns the killing of Jamal Khashoggi in the strongest possible terms: the circumstances of Mr Khashoggi's death reaffirm the need to protect journalists and freedom of expression around the world.

Mohamed Boshi

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the validity of Human Rights Watch reports that human rights activist Mohamed Boshi was forcibly returned from Egypt to Sudan on 13 October 2018.

Harriett Baldwin: We are aware of recent reports regarding Mohamed Boshi and are tracking the case. The UK regularly raises concerns about freedom of expression with both the Egyptian and Sudanese Governments both in public and private. On 18 September we issued a statement at the UN Human Rights Council in which we raised specific concerns about the 'arrests of activists, bloggers and journalists'. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa also raised concerns over freedom of expression with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Cairo on 14 October. Freedom of expression and freedom of the media also remain a key focus of the human rights strand of the UK-Sudan Strategic Dialogue. During the most recent round of talks, held in London in November, a wide range of human rights issues were discussed with the Government of Sudan, and the Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN specifically raised the importance that the UK places on improvements in freedom of the media.

Northern Ireland Office

Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if her Department will (a) respond to feedback received by the Northern Ireland Executive Office's consultation on Historical Institutional Abuse and (b) take steps to implement the recommendations of the Hart Report in the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Assembly; and if she will make a statement.

John Penrose: Victims of historical institutional abuse have shown huge courage and dignity in their fight for truth and redress and publishing this consultation is an important step for them. I urge anyone who has been affected or has an interest to contribute to this consultation and put forward their views. The UK Government’s priority in Northern Ireland continues to be the restoration of the NI Executive. If, despite best efforts, the NI Executive has not been restored by the time the consultation process ends we will consider what the next steps are in the absence of NI Executive Ministers.

Orkambi: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will meet families of cystic fibrosis sufferers in Northern Ireland who are seeking to secure the availability of Orkambi on the NHS; and if she will make a statement.

John Penrose: Thank you for raising this important issue. I realise that the availability of Orkambi is currently the subject of negotiation involving Vertex Pharmaceuticals, NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). As these negotiations are ongoing, I will ask my officials to monitor progress on this issue and update you as soon as there is greater clarity.

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS Property Services: Buildings

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the total value of the properties managed by NHS Property Services.

Stephen Hammond: The total value of the properties owned and managed by NHS Property Services was £3.933 billion at 31 March 2018. This figure is from the 2017/18 annual report and accounts.

NHS Property Services: Complaints

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the procedure for dealing with complaints to NHS Property Services was last changed.

Stephen Hammond: The complaints handling process is under constant review. The most significant recent change was in July 2017 with the introduction of a new national customer support centre to provide a clear route into the organisation for customers to raise requests, incidents and complaints.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make flash glucose monitoring technology available to all patients with diabetes across clinical commissioning groups.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the potential savings to the NHS of making flash glucose monitoring technology available to all patients with diabetes across NHS clinical commissioning groups.

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations he has received from (a) the public and (b) charities on the benefits of making flash glucose monitoring technology available to all patients with diabetes.

Steve Brine: Following an announcement by NHS England on 14 November 2018, flash glucose monitoring systems will be made available on prescription for all patients with type 1 diabetes who meet National Health Service criteria from April 2019. No estimate has been made of the potential savings related to making flash glucose monitoring technology available to all patients with diabetes. A search of the Department’s Ministerial correspondence database has identified 272 items of correspondence from members of the public received in 2018 about flash glucose monitoring. This figure represents correspondence received by the Department’s Ministerial correspondence unit only. The Department has not been able to identify any correspondence specifically from charities.

Obesity: Children

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Chapter 2 of the Childhood obesity: a plan for action, published in June 2018, whether the consultation on a 9pm watershed on TV advertising of junk food products is planned to be published by the end of 2018.

Steve Brine: We plan to launch the consultation on introducing further advertising restrictions, including a 9pm watershed on TV advertising of high fat, salt and sugar products and similar protection for children viewing adverts online, by the end of 2018.

Mental Illness: Children

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of under-16s who have regular prescriptions for medication due to long-term mental health conditions.

Steve Brine: No such estimate has been made. Prescription forms do not include a clinical indication, therefore it is not possible to identify prescription items dispensed to treat mental health conditions.

Mental Health Services

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to mental health services for individuals who have been involved in a terror attack.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Government and its health partners recognise that it is important to ensure that people who have survived any form of critical incident have appropriate, evidence based mental health support if needed. It is essential that the mental health response is proportionate to the situation and the specific models of service delivery are a matter for NHS England and the local National Health Service. We are aware that health systems in London and Manchester are evaluating the response of the NHS and wider economy to their recent terrorist events. We will ensure this learning is shared with the system.

Drugs: Manufacturing Industries

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what advice he has issued to manufacturers of general sales list medicines on whether to stockpile medicines in preparation for the UK leaving the EU without a deal; whether he plans to update that advice before the end of 2018; and if he will make a statement.

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of people presenting at NHS services because they are unable to purchase general sales list medicines for (a) themselves and (b) their children in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal; and if he will make a statement.

Jenny Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to offer financial support to manufacturers of general sales list medicines for the stockpiling of medicines in preparation for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

Stephen Hammond: On 23 August 2018 the Department wrote to all pharmaceutical companies that supply the United Kingdom with pharmacy (P) or prescription-only medicines (POM) from, or via, the European Union/European Economic Area (EEA), asking them to ensure they have a minimum of six weeks’ additional supply in the UK, over and above their business as usual operational buffer stocks, by 29 March 2019 in the event of a no deal EU Exit. Over-the-counter ‘General Sales List’ (GSL) medicines are not included in the Department’s medicines supply contingency programme. GSLs are not considered in-scope for the programme as there are multiple alternatives available should a single GSL medicine be subject to a short-term supply disruption. The Department is currently considering how best it may support pharmaceutical companies as part of its medicine supply contingency programme. Part of this support will include funding to provide additional capacity for the storage of P and POM medicines in the UK. A process to apply for such funding has been undertaken in recent weeks and contract agreements are imminent.

Nurses: Training

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the change in funding was for nursing higher education in 2016.

Stephen Hammond: There was no change in funding for nursing higher education in 2016. In the Spending Review 2015 the Government announced that tuition and maintenance costs for new pre-registration nursing, midwifery and allied health degree students would be funded by the student loans system from 2017. Typically, students on the loan system are at least 25% better off whilst they study than the previous funding system and eligible healthcare students have access to additional non-repayable Government funding of £1,000 for childcare, funding for travel to clinical placements and an exceptional support fund of up to £3,000 per student per academic year. The latest University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data from October 2018 shows that demand for nursing courses remains strong, with applications exceeding available places in 2018. The number of acceptances to nursing and midwifery courses in 2018 is consistent with earlier years, at approximately 22,000. Final UCAS data will be published in December 2018.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to raise awareness among health professionals of the new Royal College of Physicians Guidelines on complex regional pain syndrome.

Steve Brine: It is not the role of the Department to promote clinical guidance to health professionals. Health professionals, once qualified, are expected to stay informed about the latest evidence in clinical practice. The updated guidance on complex regional pain syndrome, published by the Royal College of Physicians was developed in partnership with 28 other organisations. A number of the organisations involved have sought to promote the guidance via online media and their respective websites. A copy of the guidance can be found at the following link: www.rcplondon.ac.uk/guidelines-policy/complex-regional-pain-syndrome-adults

Palliative Care: Children

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to include meeting the end of life care choice commitment for babies, children and young people in the new NHS long-term plan; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Dinenage: ‘Our Commitment to you for end of life care’, published in July 2016, set out what everyone should expect from their care at the end of life and the actions we are taking to make high quality, personalised care a reality for all, both adults and children. Through the Mandate to NHS England, we have asked NHS England to deliver the Choice Commitment, and through its National Programme Board for End of life Care, NHS England is working with all key system partners and stakeholders, including the children’s end of life care charity Together for Short Lives, to achieve this. A copy of the Choice Commitment and the One Year On progress report can be found at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/publications/choice-in-end-of-life-care-government-response End of life care, including for babies, children and young people, is an important part of the proposals which are helping to shape the long-term plan for the National Health Service. The plan is expected for publication later this year.

Pain: Clinics

Ruth George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting times have been for (a) a referral and (b) an urgent referral to a pain clinic in each clinical commissioning group area in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Stephen Hammond: The information is not held centrally.

Diabetes: Podiatry

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons NHS Newham clinical commissioning group was unsuccessful in its Diabetes Transformation Fund bid to improve foot care services.

Steve Brine: Bids for access to diabetes transformation funding were reviewed by diabetes leads in clinical networks, reginal leads, and nationally, and were scored against agreed criteria. These results are subsequently moderated at a regional and national levels. Bids are successful when they offer the best value against a range of criteria focussed on improvement in outcomes and the resources needed to deliver this.

Diabetes: Podiatry

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of NHS foot care provision for people with diabetes.

Steve Brine: The National Diabetes Inpatient Audit takes an annual snapshot audit of diabetes inpatient care in England and Wales undertaken by hospital teams on a designated day in September. The 2017 audit shows the most recent assessment figures at the following link: https://files.digital.nhs.uk/pdf/s/7/nadia-17-rep.pdf Outcomes associated with diabetic foot disease are significantly better when rapid access to multidisciplinary diabetic foot clinics is possible. In order to achieve this, NHS England has invested approximately £10 million per annum over financial years 2017/18 and 2018/19 for the development of hospital multidisciplinary diabetic foot services where they do not exist in England, and to expand capacity in pre-existing services where additional capacity is required. This has resulted in investment in 41 multidisciplinary diabetic foot services nationally, representing 137 additional staff.

Diabetes: Podiatry

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NHS Newham clinical commissioning group will have the opportunity to bid in future rounds for Diabetes Transformation funding to improve foot care services.

Steve Brine: Decisions on the availability of transformation funding in future years will be made as part of the NHS Long Term Plan process. The plan will be published later this year.

Contraceptives

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the average waiting time for an initial consultation on contraception in (a) GP practices and (b) community sexual and reproductive health services in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department has made of the average waiting time for an appointment to fit (a) intrauterine devices, (b) intrauterine systems and (c) the contraceptive implant in (i) GP practices and (ii) community sexual and reproductive health services in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of capacity pressures on contraceptive services commissioned by local authorities in (a) GP practices and (b) community sexual and reproductive health services.

Steve Brine: Waiting times for contraceptive services are not monitored centrally. Local authorities are best placed to understand and meet the public health needs of their local communities. The Government has mandated local authorities in England to commission comprehensive open access sexual health services, including provision of free contraception. Contraception is also widely available free of charge through general practice.

Arthritis

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS trusts provide early support for the mental wellbeing of patients with (a) rheumatoid arthritis and (b) adult juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Jackie Doyle-Price: The Government recognises that long-term conditions, such as arthritis, can have an impact on a person’s mental wellbeing. The guideline ‘Rheumatoid arthritis in adults: management’, updated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in 2018, sets out best practice in the diagnosis, treatment, care and support of people with rheumatoid arthritis. The guidance recommends that patients should be offered psychological interventions (for example, relaxation, stress management and cognitive coping skills to help them to adjust to living with their condition). The guidance is available at the following link: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng100

Ocrelizumab

Mr Steve Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of ocrelizumab as a treatment for people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Steve Brine: The Department has made no assessment. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body responsible for developing authoritative, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether drugs and other treatments represent an effective use of NHS resources. NICE is currently developing technology appraisal guidance on the use of ocrelizumab for treating primary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Health Services: Immigrants

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2018 to Question 191946 on Health Services: Immigrants, what the evidential basis was for his Department's conclusion that the surcharge has had no effect on recruitment and retention of NHS staff.

Stephen Hammond: The Government publishes quarterly updates on immigration statistics, which include data on visa grants and is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-year-ending-march-2018/why-do-people-come-to-the-uk-2-to-work The available evidence suggests that, since its introduction, there has not been any negative impact on the number of applications made to come to the United Kingdom as a result of the surcharge.

Colorectal Cancer: Screening

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 1 October 2018 to Question 175904 on colorectal cancer, whether NHS England has a timeframe for lowering the screening age to 50.

Steve Brine: NHS England is currently prioritising the introduction of the faecal immunochemical test at 120μg/g to the current eligible cohort, and plans for lowering the age eligibility will be confirmed as part of the National Health Service long term plan.

General Practitioners: Greenwich

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has made of the progress of Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group towards setting up Patient Participation Groups as proposed in its Patient and Public Engagement Strategy (2017 – 2020); how many such groups have been set up; and if he will make a statement.

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides on whether clinical commissioning groups can allow community groups representing clearly defined geographical areas to become Patient Participation Groups; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine: In May 2017 Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) carried out a review of the 35 general practitioner (GP) practices in the borough. This showed that 24 (68%) practices had fully functional Patient Participation Groups (PPGs). In May 2018 Greenwich CCG undertook a further review which showed that 31 (88%) practices now had a fully functional PPG. NHS England does not provide guidance about whether community groups can become PPGs. PPGs are specific to GP practices and included in the GP contract as a way in which practices can engage with their practice population. CCGs should engage more widely than PPGs and we would expect them to connect with and engage with community and voluntary groups in their local communities. This is part of their duty to involve patients and the public and is covered in the guidance for CCGs last published in 2017. Greenwich CCG welcomes engagement opportunities with patient community groups to receive feedback on health services commissioned by the CCG. This would be outside of the formal remit of a Patient Participation Group as defined within national guidance.

Department for International Development

Syria: Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her Department's policies of the findings of the 5th November report by the Office of the Inspector General at the United States Department of Defense concerning the diversion of USAID funding for humanitarian assistance in Syria to support the activities of the Ha’yat Tahrir Al-Sham militia.

Alistair Burt: hile we acknowledge that working in fragile and conflict-affected countries carries risks, DFID has robust and extensive controls in place to ensure that tax payers’ funds are used appropriately and effectively; that UK aid reaches those who need it and that it does not benefit extremist groups, such as Ha’yat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS). DFID does not provide funding unless our NGO and UN partners can assure us that it will not benefit extremist groups, and we will withdraw support if there is reason to believe UK tax payer’s money may be at risk. We remain at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis, and maintain close communication with the US, the UN and other donors to support international efforts in Syria. As with other DFID programmes, our work in Syria remains under constant review and scrutiny, both through internal and independent processes, including by the National Audit Office and Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), which last audited DFID’s Syria humanitarian programmes in May 2018.

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

Mr John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the absence in the UN Global Compact for Migration of the UK’s three main objectives as set out in the Prime Minister’s addresses to the UN General Assembly in 2016 and 2017, whether the Government plans to decline to sign that compact at the forthcoming UN meeting in Morocco.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government is supportive of the UN’s Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, both as a step forward in international co-operation to tackle irregular migration and as a framework to help us deliver our commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals. As a leading voice in the negotiations, the UK Government secured positive outcomes in the final text which clearly support the Prime Minister’s main objectives as set out in her speech to the United Nations General Assembly. This includes a clear differentiation between refugees and migrants; the recognition of a State’s right to control their borders and proposals to help States build capacity in this area; and an explicit acknowledgement of States’ responsibility to accept the return of their nationals who no longer have the right to remain elsewhere.

Developing Countries: Trade Promotion

Giles Watling: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to promote trade for development.

Alistair Burt: The Department for International Development is working with the Department for International Trade to ensure our trade policy benefits developing countries as well as the UK. We aim to deliver continuity in our trading arrangements with developing countries as we leave the EU, provide support to help countries trade, and explore options to expand our relationships in the future.

Libya: Immigrants

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if her Department will stop providing funding to migrant detention centres in Libya where people are subject to abuse.

Alistair Burt: The UK government is not funding migrant detention centres in Libya. They are the responsibility of the Libyan authorities and we regularly raise with them the need to respect the human rights of migrants, to ensure the provision of basic services, and to explore alternatives to detention centres. UK Aid funds basic humanitarian provisions where it is possible to do so in detention centres whilst upholding humanitarian principles.

Department for Education

Adoption

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the practice of contested adoption on the well-being of the child.

Nadhim Zahawi: The information requested is not held centrally. Individual decisions on adoption are ultimately taken by an independent judge based on the evidence presented.Adverse childhood experiences such as neglect or abuse often cause lifelong problems. In most cases, local authorities will provide support so that children can remain with their birth families. However, for those children who cannot live with their birth parents, it is vital we find them permanent new homes as quickly as possible, whether that be by adoption, special guardianship or long-term fostering. Adoption can be transformative for many children and can provide them with the stability and care they need to recover from the trauma they may have experienced in early life.

Business: School Leaving

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to encourage large businesses to offer work placements to school leavers.

Anne Milton: The government’s careers strategy for England, which was published in December 2017, introduces a new expectation that secondary schools should follow the Gatsby Foundation’s Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance. This means that schools should offer every young person at least one encounter a year with employers from year 7 through to year 13.The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) is recruiting up to 150 employers as ‘cornerstone’ employers committed to increasing the number of encounters and workplace experiences offered. The CEC’s network of 125 Enterprise Coordinators and over 2000 Enterprise Advisers (who are business volunteers) is also helping to increase employer encounters and work experience. For example, in East Sussex, John O’Connor Ltd. has arranged multiple work experience placements for pupils at Saxon Mount Community Special School so that students can gain a practical understanding of grounds maintenance work.Every 16 to 19 year old student following one of the new T levels in England will be entitled to a high quality industry placement. Industry placements are structured periods in employment that are expected to last a minimum of 45 days. We are putting in place measures to directly support employers such as providing a ‘one stop shop’ for guidance and support from the National Apprenticeship Service. This includes a simple referral platform so that employers only have one place to go to be put in touch with providers in their area. We are also investing significantly through the Capacity and Delivery Fund to help providers put in place the systems to organise placements so that the burden is taken off employers.

Students: Finance

Nic Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much money from the public purse has been spent by (a) further education colleges and (b) academies in offering subsidies to attract students in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not held centrally. The department does not collect information regarding such subsidies.

Students: Finance

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when the Education and Skills Funding Agency regulations for 16-19 education provision on student eligibility for funding in 2019-20 will be published.

Anne Milton: Funding guidance relating to 16-19 provision will be published in the period of March or April 2019 and will be available on GOV.UK.

Students: Loans

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the change in the total amount of student loans outstanding between (a) March 2014 and (b) March 2018.

Mr Sam Gyimah: The Student Loans Company publish statistics annually on student loan debt and repayment. The statistics are published separately for loans funded by each of the devolved administrations and can be found at: https://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment.aspx.

Autism: Children

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the change in the number of children requiring autism support since the commencement of the Children and Families Act 2014.

Nadhim Zahawi: We publish the number and proportion of pupils with special educational needs (SEN), including the type of need in the annual ‘SEN in England’ statistical release:https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-special-educational-needs-sen.Pupils with SEN are recorded according to their primary type of need. Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is included as a type of need.The table below shows a breakdown of the number of pupils with ASD as their primary type of need from 2015 to 2018 (as at January each year):  2015201620172018SEN support36,53042,80147,57153,546Statements of SEN & education, health and care plans54,24557,21160,83266,363Total90,775100,012108,403119,909Source: School Census

Teachers: Training

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to encourage unqualified teachers to access teacher training.

Nick Gibb: There are several salaried routes into initial teacher training (ITT), including School Direct Salaried and Postgraduate Teaching Apprenticeships. By the end of their course, trainees must be able to demonstrate the same teachers’ standards as on any other ITT course, but trainees progress towards qualified teacher status (QTS) while employed in a school and receiving a salary.Unqualified teachers can also apply to a fee-funded ITT course, where they can benefit from our generous bursaries worth up to £26,000 across a range of subjects.In addition, those with significant experience of teaching can be assessed by an accredited provider, and achieve QTS, without having to undergo formal training on an ITT course.Information on salaried teacher training can be found here:https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/teacher-training-routes/school-led-training/school-direct-salaried.Information on bursaries and scholarships can be found here:https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/funding-my-teacher-training/bursaries-and-scholarships-for-teacher-training.Information on gaining QTS with only an assessment can be found here:https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/explore-my-options/teacher-training-routes/specialist-training-options/assessment-only.

Children: Employment

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of children in full-time education who are are employed.

Anne Milton: The number and proportion of young people of academic age 16 to 17 in full-time education or in full-time education and employment at the end of 2017 is provided in the table below. No information is held by the department on the employment status of young people under the age of 16.  Academic AgeIn full time education In full-time education and employment  NumberProportionNumberProportion16/171,004,80082.1%271,50022.2% The figures provided comes from the department’s official estimates of participation in education, training and employment for young people of academic age 16 to 18, which are published annually. The figures are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/participation-in-education-training-and-employment-2017.

Schools: Asbestos

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to assist with the removal of asbestos from schools in England.

Nick Gibb: The Department considers the health and safety of staff and pupils in school as paramount. Since 2015, the Department has allocated £5.6 billion to those responsible for school buildings and for essential maintenance, including removing or encapsulating asbestos when it is the safest course of action to do so. In addition, through the £4.4 billion Priority School Building Programme, the Department is rebuilding or refurbishing buildings in the worst condition in over 500 schools across the country. Asbestos is a factor in choosing which schools to re-build.Advice from the Health and Safety Executive is that if asbestos is unlikely to be damaged or disturbed, then it is best managed in situ. The blanket and accelerated removal of asbestos in schools is potentially a more dangerous and greater risk to pupils and staff. Any decision to remove asbestos is taken on a case by case basis, based on the risk of exposure and the work to be undertaken. While asbestos will be removed over time from the school estate as part of any rebuilding or refurbishment programme, the Department has not committed to the phased removal of all asbestos by a specific date.

Sex and Relationship Education

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including parenting education in the national curriculum.

Nick Gibb: Teachers are currently able to cover topics relating to parenting in their wider school curriculum, including in their personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) lessons. Many schools use the PSHE Association’s non-statutory programme of study. The roles and responsibilities of the programme include parenting skills, the value of family relationships, and the impact of separation, divorce and bereavement on families. Under provisions in the Children and Social Work Act 2017, the Government is making regulations to introduce mandatory Relationships Education in all primary schools, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in all secondary schools and Health Education in state-funded primary and secondary schools. The key aim of Relationships Education is to put in place the building blocks needed for positive and safe relationships of all kinds, starting with family and friends, and moving out to other kinds of relationships, including online. RSE will also cover the importance of healthy relationships and the roles and responsibilities of parents. Consultation on draft regulations and associated guidance for the new subjects closed on 7 November. The Department is currently considering the responses to the consultation, and plans to finalise the regulations and guidance next year and lay the regulations for debate in Parliament. Schools will be encouraged and supported to teach the new subjects from September 2019, and it will be mandatory to do so from September 2020.

Skills Funding Agency: Contracts

Clive Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria are used to determine how prime contractors for Employment and Skills Funding Agency funding are permitted to set their management fees.

Nick Gibb: The ESFA is currently undertaking work to develop expectations about the services that providers should offer to their subcontractors. A key priority for this is to increase the amount of funding that reaches front line delivery. Any changes will come into force in 2019. In the delivery of programmes to young people, the amount of funding retained by the directly funded institution must be proportionate to the costs and must be determined through due diligence and risk assessment processes.

Schools: Gloucestershire

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Gloucestershire have posted a deficit budget for the years (i) 2017-18 and (ii) 2018-2019.

Nick Gibb: The Government trusts schools to manage their own budgets and the vast majority are operating with a cumulative surplus, with only a small percentage having a deficit. The Department will be publishing 2017-18 data on maintained school reserves in December 2018; this will show the schools in Gloucestershire which reported a deficit. 2018-19 data is expected to be published in December 2019. Academy trusts are the legal entities responsible for academies, including their finances, and are accountable at trust level. The accounts for each trust are submitted for publication on the Companies House website by May of each year; the latest accounts, published this year, relate to 2016-17. The latest figures for Gloucestershire’s maintained schools showed one hundred and eighty-eight primary schools and five secondary schools reporting a cumulative surplus or breaking even, compared to fifteen primary schools and one secondary school reporting a deficit in the financial year 2016-17. Forty-four primary and thirty secondary academies in Gloucestershire were in trusts that reported a surplus in the academic year 2016-17, compared to one primary and three secondary academies in trusts that reported a deficit. An academy in a local authority may belong to a trust outside the local authority. Academy trust accounts allow for a significantly higher level of public scrutiny than is required of maintained schools. This is because maintained schools are not required to prepare individual statutory accounts – their financial performance is instead summarised within local authorities’ accounts. Academy trust accounts are consolidated in the Sector Annual Report and Accounts (SARA). The SARA provides a sector-level overview and does not break down the data by trust or local authority. The Department published the 2016-17 SARA on 6 November and it is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/academies-consolidated-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017.

Pupil Exclusions

Dr David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate he has made of the number of children who have been off-rolled in each of the last two years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of pupils who have been officially taken off roll by schools. Local authorities have a duty to make arrangements to establish the identities of children of compulsory school age in their area who are not registered pupils at a school and are not otherwise receiving suitable education.The law is clear that a pupil’s name can only be deleted from the admission register on the grounds prescribed in regulation 8 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended. All schools must notify the local authority when a pupil’s name is to be deleted from the admission register under any of the grounds prescribed in regulation 8.

Ministry of Justice

Carillion

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what savings his Department has made through its contract with Carillion compared with the projected cost of continuing to provide maintenance in-house in each year since 2015.

Rory Stewart: There was an underestimation of the historical costs of maintenance and services, which meant that more of the award has been spent on maintenance and services rather than efficiency savings. As a result, the contract has not delivered the anticipated savings.

Jon Venables

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what policies and procedures on (a) (i) obtaining legal advice and (ii) other issues prior to the release of information and (b) (i) designating and (ii) authorising personnel to release information were in place when information on Jon Venables being in custody was released on or about 2 March 2010; whether changes in those policies and procedures have been made since that date; and how those policies and procedures are made available to departmental personnel.

Edward Argar: Victims who elect to receive services under the statutory Probation Victim Contact Scheme are entitled to receive information at key stages of an offender’s sentence. In accordance with the policy for the operation of the Victim Contact Scheme, the recall of an offender to custody is regarded as information which a victim is entitled to receive. That was the case in 2010 when the offender once known as Jon Venables was recalled to custody and remains the case today.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 20 September 2018 to Question 172598, what the (a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) average waiting time was for social security tribunal hearings at the Sunderland tribunal venue in each of the last five years.

Lucy Frazer: It has not been possible to provide the information requested at a) and b) in the time available. I will arrange for a copy of these data requested to be placed in the House Library as soon as they are available. Information about (c) average waiting times of appeals to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) (SSCS) is published at:www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics

Trials

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of defendants seeking to use section 76(8) of the Serious Crime Act 2015 as a key form of defence within criminal trials.

Edward Argar: The information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Prisons: Contracts

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reasons his Department is not running in-house bids for the operation of (a) HMP Wellingborough and (b) HMP Glen Parva.

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when his Department plans to issue invitations to tender for the operation of (a) HMP Wellingborough and (b) HMP Glen Parva.

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of running in-house bids for the operation of (a) HMP Wellingborough and (b) HMP Glen Parva.

Rory Stewart: The Government is committed to a diverse market of prison operators and competition for custodial services remains an important way of achieving that and driving quality of operations and innovation across the system. Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service will not be bidding in the competition to operate the new prisons at Wellingborough and Glen Parva but will instead provide a ‘public sector benchmark’, against which against which potential operators’ bids can be assessed. It is right that the prison service focuses on getting the basics right in prisons, however where bids do not meet sufficient quality or value for money thresholds it will act as the provider. HMPPS will soon launch a competition to establish a framework of prison operators, from which the operator for the new prison at Wellingborough and potentially further prisons will be selected. This process will enable us to undertake rigorous financial and operational assessment of bids put forward by any existing or potential operator to ensure they are of sufficient quality, value and affordability. As set out on the 26 June at the Justice Select Committee and in the 2017 manifesto, we remain committed to building up to 10,000 modern and decent prison places. The Chancellor reaffirmed this commitment in the Budget, announcing that we intend to build the new prisons at Wellingborough, which is due to open in 2021 and Glen Parva, which we expect to open in 2022, through public capital.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service: Telephone Services

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time is for someone who telephones HM Courts and Tribunal Service to contact the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) service.

Lucy Frazer: We have increased the number of staff at the contact centre to meet the increasing workload, with new employees fully trained by November. The current average wait time for someone who telephones HM Courts and Tribunals Service to contact the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support) service is nine minutes and sixteen seconds (an average for the month of November 2018 to date)

Legal Aid Scheme

Mr Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he plans to consult specialist bereavement organisations on Government policy to support bereaved families in seeking legal aid.

Lucy Frazer: As part of its review of legal aid for inquests, over the summer my Department carried out a call for evidence exercise, conducted surveys of key stakeholders, and officials met bereaved people as well as groups which represent their interests.The Department is now considering the responses and other feedback. Any significant changes to policy will be presented in a public consultation as part of the final report, in which anyone interested in this issue including members of the public and specialist bereavement organisations will be invited to respond to this consultation exercise. We intend to publish the final report by the end of the year.

Parole

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many directions for release were made by the Parole Board from March 2018 to September 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many oral parole hearings took place in England and Wales from March 2018 to September 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many directions for release were made by the Parole Board from September 2017 to March 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many oral parole hearings took place in England and Wales from September 2017 to March 2018.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many directions for release were made by the Parole Board from January 2016 to January 2017.

Richard Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many oral parole hearings took place in England and Wales from January 2016 to January 2017.

Rory Stewart: In the period March 2018 to August 2018*, the Parole Board conducted 3,890 hearings and 2,647 hearings were completed. In this time the Parole Board made 1,280 release directions (81 of them were released on papers). In the period September 2017 to March 2018, the Parole Board conducted 4,418 hearings and 3,041 hearings were completed. The Parole Board made 1,613 release directions (138 of them were released on papers). In the period January 2016 to January 2017, the Parole Board conducted 7,956 hearings and 5,674 hearings were completed. The Parole Board made 3,045 release directions (425 of them were released on papers). * data for 2018-19 is only currently available for the period April-August 2018Public protection will always be our priority. In 16/17 and 17/18 the Ministry of Justice provided additional funding to enable the Parole Board to induct and train over 100 new members and to hear more cases each month. In October this year the Government secured a further £1.5 million for the Parole Board to boost its operational capacity. We are carrying out a full review of the Parole Board rules, which will build on the work we have already done to increase transparency and ensure victims are better supported.

Veterans: Prisoners

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he has made an estimate of the proportion of veteran prisoners mentored under Project Phoenix; and if he will consider securing funds to extend the reach of that project.

Edward Argar: Today I met with Care After Combat to discuss Project Phoenix. I am very pleased they will be the first military charity to submit data for analysis to the Ministry of Justice’s Data Lab, to assess the effectiveness of Project Phoenix in reducing reoffending. A recent Ministry of Justice Experimental Statistics publication indicated that there were at least 2,032 former members of the Armed Services in prison as at 30 June 2018. This represented 4% of the matched prison population. I understand an evaluation of Project Phoenix in 2017 highlighted there were 162 prisoners engaging with the programme. We are keen to use the skills and expertise of voluntary sector organisations, including military charities, in addressing the needs and supporting those offenders with a military background who enter the Criminal Justice System. These services are part of our wider commissioning decisions and, to ensure open and fair competition, all contracts and grants should be subject to open competition.

Department for International Trade

Brexit

Dr Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what responsibilities his Department will have after 29 March 2019 in the event that the House agrees to the EU-UK withdrawal deal.

George Hollingbery: After 29 March 2019, the Department of International Trade’s responsibilities will continue to be, as they are now:• To support and encourage UK businesses to drive sustainable international growth;• To ensure the UK remains a leading destination for international investment and maintains its number one position for international investment stock in Europe;• To open markets, building a trade framework with new and existing partners which is free and fair;• To use trade and investment to underpin the government’s agenda for a Global Britain and its ambitions for prosperity, stability and security worldwide.

Cameroon: Arms Trade

Anneliese Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department plans to review arms sales to the Government of Cameroon.

Graham Stuart: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 23 November 2018.The correct answer should have been:

The Government takes its export control responsibilities extremely seriously. The UK operates one of the most thorough and robust export control regimes systems in the world. The Government will not grant export licences where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Exports Licensing Criteria, which include the respect for an assessment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination. The Government will not grant a licence where there is a clear risk that the items to exported might be used for internal repression.Extant licenses licences can be revoked at any time if the situation changes in Cameroon and those licences are no longer assessed as being consistent with the licensing criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#140325660000

Graham Stuart: The Government takes its export control responsibilities extremely seriously. The UK operates one of the most thorough and robust export control regimes systems in the world. The Government will not grant export licences where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Exports Licensing Criteria, which include the respect for an assessment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the country of final destination. The Government will not grant a licence where there is a clear risk that the items to exported might be used for internal repression.Extant licenses licences can be revoked at any time if the situation changes in Cameroon and those licences are no longer assessed as being consistent with the licensing criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#140325660000

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if the Government will cease supplying arms to Saudi Arabia following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

Graham Stuart: Department for International Trade indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia

Darren Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will publish the risk assessments made by his Department on the granting of export licences for arms sales to Saudi Arabia since 25 May 2010.

Graham Stuart: Department for International Trade indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Sleeping Rough

John Healey: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2018 to Question 186183 on rough sleeping, what (a) quarterly and (b) monthly data is collected as part of the Rough Sleeping Initiative.

James Brokenshire: The Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI) collects quarterly financial reports and monthly programme reports from each of the 83 local authorities that it works with.

Small Businesses and Manufacturing Industries

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to ensure that small and medium sized UK business and manufacturing is protected from eviction by large international firms.

Jake Berry: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the manufacturing sector play a vital role in the UK economy. At Budget, Government announced a package of support for towns and high streets that included cutting the business rates bills of eligible small retailers by one third for two years and the £675 million Future High Streets Fund. Our recent reforms to the planning system, including the revised National Planning Policy Framework, provide greater flexibility for a greater range and diversity of uses in our high streets. That includes diversification to incentivise small and medium sized business. The manufacturing sector drives innovation and exports, creates jobs and Government is committed to supporting the sector through the Industrial Strategy. This will boost productivity and build an economy fit for the future, helping to foster a competitive business environment where UK manufacturing can thrive.Tenancies are a commercial matter and whilst Government cannot comment on contractual arrangements between landlords and tenants, where specific tenancy issues arise, businesses can engage with their local authorities or Citizens’ Advice Bureau

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of support for heating costs provided by local authorities and Housing Associations to social housing tenants while unsafe cladding systems are removed from their homes.

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the funding allocated to social housing providers to remove Grenfell-style cladding systems will also cover compensation to tenants who face increased heating costs as a result of the removal of that cladding.

Kit Malthouse: The Government is providing funding to ensure that social housing providers can prioritise the remediation of buildings with unsafe Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding without needing to divert resources from other housing programmes, including maintaining existing properties and new build programmes.The application guidance sets out the costs covered by government funding. This is intended to cover costs associated with the removal and replacement of unsafe ACM cladding systems (including insulation), such as access (e.g. scaffolding or mast climber), removal and disposal of existing cladding, replacement materials, labour and reasonable on-costs, and VAT on these costs where the building owner is not able to claim this back. The fund is not intended to cover revenue costs, including those associated with interim measures.The Regulator of Social Housing requires that homes in the social housing sector meet the Decent Homes Standard, which includes having efficient heating and effective insulation. As social landlords have responsibility for the overall standards of their buildings, we would expect them to take action and engage with residents to ensure disruption is reduced whilst the works are completed as quickly and safely as possible. We would expect those who have concerns about their ability to do this to contact MHCLG or the Regulator of Social Housing.

Homes England: Public Appointments

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, by what process were the new Board Members of Homes England recruited.

Kit Malthouse: Appointments to the Homes England Board are made in line with the Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointments and are subject to scrutiny by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Homes and Communities Agency and Social Housing Regulator

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who has been a member on the board of the (a) Homes and Communities Agency and (b) Social Housing Regulator and its predecessor regulation committee since May 2010.

Kit Malthouse: This information is publically available through organisations' Annual Reports and Accounts. Between May 2010 and March 2012 the Regulation of Social Housing was conducted by the Tenant Services Authority (TSA). During this time there was no Regulation Committee as the TSA's Board carried out this role.Links to the relevant reports are as follows:TSA 2009/10 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/247924/0326.pdf 2010/11 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/247318/1252.pdf 2011/12 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/246990/0336.pdfHCA2009/10 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/247989/0265.pdf 2010/11 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229149/1223.pdf 2011/12 - https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20170131234233/https://udc.homesandcommunities.co.uk/sites/default/files/aboutus/hca_annual_report_2012.pdf 2012/13 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/382615/annual_report_040713.pdf 2013/14 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/329381/HCA_Annual_Report_2013-14_tag.pdf 2014/15 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/439772/HCA_Annual_Report_2014-15.pdf2015/16 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/536617/HCA_AR16_online.pdf 2016/17 -https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/627166/HCA_AR16-17.pdf2017/18 - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/727905/Annual_Report_and_Financial_Statements_2017_-_2018.pdf Since the latest Annual Report and Accounts were published the following changes have been made to each board/committee membership:Regulation CommitteeRichard Hughes - joined - 16 April 2018Paul Smee - joined - 16 April 2018 Homes England BoardSimon Dow (Regulation Committee Chair) - departed - 30 September 2018Duncan Sutherland - joined - 1 November 2018Ceri Smith (Shareholder Representative member) - joined - 1 November 2018  In October 2018 the Regulator for Social Housing became an independent organisation.However, membership of the existing Regulation Committee at that time was retained.

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the fire risks posed by non-aluminium composite material cladding systems.

Kit Malthouse: I refer the Hon. Member to my answer of 22 November to Question UIN 192840.

High Rise Flats: Insulation

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether funding for social housing providers to remove Grenfell-style cladding systems includes the cost of the removal of non-aluminium composite material cladding systems.

Kit Malthouse: Grant funding will be available to cover all reasonable costs for the remediation of unsafe Aluminium Cladding Material cladding systems, which have failed large-scale fire performance tests commissioned by Government in 2017, on social housing buildings 18 metres and over owned by local authorities and housing associations.Building owners should be taking the steps necessary to ensure the safety of their buildings. We have issued advice for building owners on assessing the safety of other cladding systems.We can continue to provide local authorities financial flexibilities for all other essential fire safety work. Housing associations which remain concerned about their ability to meet costs should contact the Regulator of Social Housing.

Homelessness: Older People

Vicky Foxcroft: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the number of people over 65 years old that are are homeless in (a) the London Borough of Lewisham, (b) London and (c) England.

Mrs Heather Wheeler: My Department publishes quarterly statistics on statutory homelessness, homelessness prevention and relief in England and the results of an annual rough sleeping count. These are published at local authority level. The detailed local authority level response tables in section 1 include '65-74 years' and '75 & over' age brackets for the applicant of homeless households.The latest statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-datasets/live-tables-on-homelessness.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Help to Buy Scheme

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to announce whether the Forces Help to Buy scheme will continue beyond December 2018.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As announced by the former Secretary of State for Defence in October 2016, the Forces Help To Buy scheme is due to close at the end of December 2018. Applications can be submitted up to this date. Work is ongoing to consider how to take this policy principle forward and details will be confirmed later this year.

Defence: Modernisation

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish the Modernising Defence Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Gavin Williamson: The Modernising Defence Programme is ongoing. I remain committed to updating Parliament once progress has been made.

Defence: Procurement

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the defence procurement budget was in (a) absolute terms and (b) as a proportion of total government spend for each year since 1988; and what proportion of procurement was (a) domestically and (b) internationally sourced for each of those years.

Stuart Andrew: The table below shows the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) total procurement spend since financial year 2009-10. Figures before this date are not available. Financial YearTotal MOD Procurement Spend (£billion)Total Managed Expenditure (£billion)Proportion of Total Managed Expenditure2009-10£22.1£695.23.2%2010-11£20.0£717.42.8%2011-12£20.1£717.32.8%2012-13£20.4£731.82.8%2013-14£20.3£733.82.8%2014-15£19.6£750.42.6%2015-16£19.4£756.82.6%2016-17£19.1£772.02.5% It is not possible to provide data on the proportion of MOD procurement sourced domestically or internationally. The MOD routinely publishes statistics on the equipment contracts it places on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/defence-trade-and-industry-index The MOD also publishes a breakdown of expenditure with UK industry. This can also be found on gov.uk at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/mod-regional-expenditure-with-uk-industry-and-supported-employment-index

Maritime Patrol Aircraft: Procurement

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft his Department plans to procure.

Stuart Andrew: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 4 September 2017 to Question 6994 to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr David) and on 28 November 2017 to Question 116180 to the hon. Member for West Dunbartonshire (Mr Docherty-Hughes).



6994 - Maritime Patrol Aircraft
(Word Document, 21.82 KB)




116180 - Maritime Patrol Aircraft
(Word Document, 21.94 KB)

Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he is exploring options to develop an unmanned maritime patrol aircraft capability to complement current and planned fixed and rotary-wing platforms.

Stuart Andrew: As set out in Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, Joint Force 2025 will deliver a fleet of nine Boeing P-8 Maritime Patrol Aircraft. We recognise the potential strategic importance of developing further unmanned surveillance capability; however, we have not started formally exploring options.

Department for Work and Pensions

Working Conditions

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that employees have access to good toilet facilities in the workplace.

Sarah Newton: The law requires employers to provide suitable and sufficient toilet facilities at readily accessible places. Employers should ensure, amongst other things, that toilets are kept clean and well maintained. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 apply to most workplaces. There is more specific legislation for construction sites, namely the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Local Authority, as the relevant enforcing authority, will follow up complaints regarding unsuitable welfare facilities at workplaces. HSE provides guidance on what constitutes suitable and sufficient sanitary and washing facilities which is available to download for free on the HSE website:http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l24.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg293.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l153.pdfhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/welfare/toilets-and-washing.htmhttp://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/topics/welfare.htm HSE is also currently updating guidance to advise that drivers must have access to welfare facilities in the premises they visit as part of their work.

Employment and Support Allowance

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time for income-related employment support allowance claims where a claimant has a DS1500 medical condition report is.

Sarah Newton: The information requested is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The DS1500 is not a claim form and its use in providing evidential support for claims from people who are terminally ill claiming benefit is not obligatory.

Universal Credit

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department seeks to recover remaining payments on an advance payment for universal credit from the estate of a deceased person.

Justin Tomlinson: Universal Credit (UC) advances are available to claimants as a form of budgeting support, allowing them to better manage their finances. In most cases an advance would be repaid through a series of monthly deductions from their ongoing UC entitlement. The claimant is able to select the amount of time over which they repay their advance, currently up to a maximum of 12 months. If an advance is not recovered from the associated benefit claim because the claim ends or there was no entitlement to that benefit, the outstanding balance is treated as if it were an overpayment and referred to the Department’s Debt Management team to arrange recovery. Where a debtor dies and leaves outstanding Social Security debt, the Department becomes a creditor of the estate and will then make a claim for these debts from the estate. Where it is established that there is no estate the outstanding balance is written off.

Local Housing Allowance

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether local housing allowance rates for tenants in the private rented sector will be set at the 30th percentile of local market rents at the end of the freeze of those rates in March 2020.

Justin Tomlinson: We are currently considering plans for Local Housing Allowance rates beyond March 2020.

Local Housing Allowance

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an estimate of the cost to the public purse of reducing the age limit for the Shared Accommodation rate of Local Housing Allowance from 35 to 30 years old; and if she will make a statement.

Justin Tomlinson: No such estimate has been made. The shared accommodation rate applies to those individuals aged under 35, who are single, living on their own and renting privately, with exemptions for certain vulnerable groups.

Employment and Support Allowance

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2018, to Question 176689 on Employment Support Allowance, what written evidence her Department holds on the British Medical Association and Royal College of General Practitioners agreement to the revised wording of the ESA65B letters sent to claimants’ GPs when they fail the work capability assessment.

Sarah Newton: There is no written evidence relating to the agreement obtained from the British Medical Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners on the revised wording of the ESA65B letter. In accordance with the Answer of 30 May 2018 to Question 146987, agreement on the final wording of the ESA65B was obtained via the regular meetings DWP holds with both organisations.

Independent Case Examiner

Emma Dent Coad: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many complaints to the Independent Case Examiner were concluded by (a) the early resolution process, (b) settlement following a review of the evidence and (c) a full investigation in each month from January 2017 to October 2018 inclusive.

Justin Tomlinson: The table below provides details of the complaints concluded by the Independent Case Examiner’s Office in each month from January 2017 to October 2018, broken down by (a) resolution (b) settlement and (c) a full investigation.MonthConcluded by ResolutionConcluded by SettlementConcluded by ICE ReportJanuary 201712654February 20173958March 201752678April 20177942May 201751465June 201741764July 201791361August 20177656September 201771846October 201781855November 20175764December 20176950January 201810867February 20185770March 2018101558April 201812953May 201881069June 2018131085July 2018141661August 2018131279September 2018161461October 2018242987

Universal Credit: Housing

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claimants receiving the housing element of universal credit are disabled.

Justin Tomlinson: The requested information is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit: Housing

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of claimants receiving the housing element of universal credit are from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department does not hold the information requested.

Children: Maintenance

Angela Crawley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 25 October 2018 to Question 181324, if he will publish the tax years that are used in the calculation of Child Maintenance Service Annual Reviews; and if he will review which tax years are used to ensure that historic income is captured in such calculations.

Justin Tomlinson: There is no plan to publish this information. As specified in the original response, the tax year information was only available due to a recent sampling exercise which would not be appropriate for ongoing publication.

Universal Credit: Easington

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15 November 2018 to Question 190427, what information her Department collects on the number of home consultations carried out by the Centre for Health and Disabilities Assessment as part of its universal credit contract.

Sarah Newton: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments delivers Work Capability Assessments (WCA) on behalf of DWP for Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit. The number of WCA Universal Credit home consultations delivered since the start of the contract in March 2015 is 308.

Johnston Press: Pensions

Lesley Laird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information she holds on the (a) number of past and present employees of Johnston Press who will be affected by its decision to transfer its pension scheme to the Pension Protection Fund and (b) potential proportionate change in the value of the pensions of those employees.

Lesley Laird: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information her Department holds on the steps the JPI Media Board will take to mitigate pension losses and to stabilise the pension scheme for employees of Johnston Press.

Guy Opperman: The Johnston Press Pension Plan is currently in the Pension Protection Fund’s (PPF) assessment period, where it will be assessed whether the scheme’s funding level is sufficient to secure pensions to its members at least equal to the level of compensation the PPF would pay. If the scheme’s funding is not sufficient, then it will transfer into the PPF and compensation will be paid at 100 per cent for individuals over their scheme’s retirement age at the date of the insolvency, and 90 per cent of the member’s accrued benefits, subject to an overall cap for everyone else. Benefits accrued post 1997 will be linked to PPF indexation going forward. There are around 5,000 pension scheme members who will be affected. The Pensions Regulator and the PPF are working together with the administrators to understand the circumstances surrounding the sale and its implications for the Johnston Press Pension Plan.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what proportion of (a) employment support allowance mandatory reconsiderations and (b) personal independence payment mandatory reconsiderations her Department has contacted a claimant's GP or specialist to request medical evidence in the last 12 months; and what guidance his Department provides on when it is appropriate to contact a claimant's GP or specialist.

Sarah Newton: The information requested is not recorded centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The guidance for both benefits tells claimants that when making their claim they should provide the evidence that they already hold and that they should not request additional evidence for which they may need to pay, for example from their GP. If further medical evidence is required this will be requested by the Assessment Provider at no cost to the claimant. At Mandatory Reconsideration the guidance encourages claimants to share any new medical evidence they may have received since their original claim. The instructions in relation to claims and Mandatory Reconsideration are clearly signposted for both benefits.

Winter Fuel Payments

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many senior citizens who were entitled to the winter fuel payment in 2017 were estimated to be higher rate tax payers.

Guy Opperman: For winter 2017/18 everyone who had reached women’s state pension age was entitled to claim a Winter Fuel Payment. Official Statistics on tax-payers are published by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

Women against State Pension Inequality

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department plans to accept recommendations made by the Ombudsman's investigation into complaints regarding WASPI.

Guy Opperman: The process of any Ombudsman investigation is effectively unchanged since their creation by the Labour Government in 1967. The Ombudsman is currently considering whether to investigate, and if so, the scope of that investigation. Should he decide to investigate, the DWP will co-operate in full with that process.

Universal Credit

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent estimate she has made of the number of claimants that have received less money as a result of moving from working tax credits to universal credit.

Alok Sharma: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost. Currently, claimants moving from existing benefits to Universal Credit will only do so because they will have had a change in their circumstances that would previously, under the legacy system, have triggered a new claim to benefits or tax credits. In such circumstances they would always have had their entitlement calculated based on the rules of their new benefit. This principle has been maintained for those moving to Universal Credit.

Universal Credit

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit payments had a deduction in the latest month for which data is available.

Catherine West: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of universal credit claimants who have a level of deduction from the standard allowance have a reduction of (a) the 40 per cent cap and (b) above the 30 per cent level (c) above the 20 per cent level in the most recent month for which data is available.

Alok Sharma: For eligible claims to Universal Credit Full Service due a payment in September 2018, 55% (490,000 claims) had a deduction (which may include for advances, sanctions, fraud penalties, and other deductions).The information for claims with deductions above 20 per cent of their standard allowance is as follows:a. 12% (61,000 claims) had deductions at 40% of the Standard Allowance (7% of all eligible claims)b. 28% (138,000 claims) had deductions above 30% of the Standard Allowance (15% of all eligible claims)c. 47% (232,000 claims) had deductions above 20% of their Standard Allowance (26% of all eligible claims).Notes: Claim numbers are rounded to the nearest 1,000Claim numbers may not match official statistics caseloads due to methodological differences.

Universal Credit

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many universal credit claimants in employment have had a disputed earnings referral in respect of their claim in each month since April 2017.

Alok Sharma: I refer the Hon Member to the reply to Question 146120, which contains the information from May 2017 to April 2018. Information from May 2018 onwards can be seen in the table below. MonthMay 2018June 2018July 2018August 2018Sept 2018Oct 2018Number of claimants with disputes330233484349494638055737Caseload on Universal Credit921,009982,3541,041,2401,117,2061,217,9641,317,985Disputes as a proportion of total caseload0.36%0.34%0.42%0.44%0.31%0.44%

Universal Credit

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the maximum proportion of universal credit which can be deducted for claimant rent arrears will change as a result of Budget 2018.

Alok Sharma: Although Autumn Budget 2018 announced a reduction (applying from October 2019) in the overall maximum rate of deductions from Universal Credit from 40% to 30%, the maximum proportion of Universal Credit which can be deducted for claimant rent arrears has not changed and remains between 10 and 20 per cent.

Universal Credit

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what circumstances the repayment of an advance can be deducted from a claimant's universal credit in addition to the maximum proportion that can be deducted for other debts.

Alok Sharma: There are no circumstances in which the repayment of an advance can be taken in excess of 40% of a claimant’s Universal Credit standard allowance.* From October 2019, we will reduce the maximum rate at which deductions can be made from a Universal Credit award from 40% to 30% of the standard allowance. This will ensure that those on Universal Credit are supported to repay debts in a more sustainable and manageable way. From October 2021, we will also increase the period over which advances will be recovered, from 12 to 16 months. * The addition of a subsequent deduction such as for rent, gas or electricity arrears may take the overall level of deductions to over 40% in a small number of cases. In these circumstances the advance repayments do not themselves take the claimant over the threshold, rather the additional deductions are made to protect claimant welfare by preventing disconnection or eviction.

Universal Credit: Telephone Services

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time is for a person calling the universal credit helpline to be connected to an agent.

Alok Sharma: The Department for Work and Pensions has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Universal Credit

Margaret Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of new claimants for universal credit received (a) their initial payment in full and on time and (b) part of their initial payment on time in each month from 31 December 2017 to the most recent month for which figures are available.

Alok Sharma: This information was published on 13 November 2018 as a Universal Credit official statistics release. It is available via the link below. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/universal-credit-29-april-2013-to-11-october-2018 In many cases where full payment is not made on time, it is due to unresolved issues such as: claimants not accepting their Claimant Commitment or passing identity checks, or having outstanding verification issues, such as housing costs and self-employed earnings.

Social Security Benefits

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the proportion of benefit claimants affected by the benefits cap who are required to seek employment as a condition of their claim.

Justin Tomlinson: The official statistics show that 19% of households who had their Housing Benefit capped in August 2018 were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance and as such are required to seek employment as a condition of their benefit receipt. The official statistics also show 51% of households who had their Housing Benefit capped in August 2018 were in receipt of Income Support. Those receiving Income Support and other benefits covered by the cap, are required to take steps towards work as part of their benefit entitlement and they are able to undertake some work. They are expected to attend regular work focussed interviews and undertake activities designed to help them prepare for and move closer to the labour market in return for the financial support they receive through the benefits system. Between April 2013 and August 2018, 70% (140,000) of households that have previously had their Housing Benefit capped are no longer capped at August 2018. Of these households, 52,000 were exempt with an open Working Tax Credit claim at the time they moved off the cap, indicating that they moved into work. This is 39% of those no longer capped. The department is unable to provide corresponding figures under Universal Credit. The Department published its Universal Credit experimental statistics future release strategy on the 12 June 2018 in response to the public consultation on future Universal Credit statistics, see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-statistics-background-information/universal-credit-statistics-release-strategy.

Employment and Support Allowance: Disqualification

Neil Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's policy is on sanctioning claimants of employment and support allowance for (a) refusing an offer of a zero-hours contract and (b) voluntarily terminating a zero-hours contract.

Alok Sharma: ESA claimants are not sanctioned if they refuse an offer of a job on a zero hours contract or voluntarily leave a zero hours contract job.

Department for Work and Pensions: Training

Alison Thewliss: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what training is provided to work coaches on violence against women and girls.

Justin Tomlinson: Jobcentre staff undergo a comprehensive learning journey designed to equip them with the tools, skills and behaviours required to provide a high quality service to all claimants. Specific training and guidance is provided for staff who work with different vulnerable groups, including survivors and those still experiencing domestic abuse. Jobcentre staff will signpost claimants to national and local organisations that provide specialist support and Work Coaches can apply domestic violence easements, switching off all work-related requirements for a period of time. In addition a national call was held earlier this year to raise awareness and understanding of domestic abuse across the Jobcentre network and a video has been produced to highlight good practice when supporting individuals who have been or are currently in a domestic abuse relationship.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people were employed by his Department on 19 November 2018.

George Eustice: The number of staff employed by the department as at 31 October 2018 was 4146. This will be consistent with data due to be published by 7 December 2018 at Data.Gov.UK - Dataset Workforce Management Information Defra, in line with Cabinet Office arrangements. We are unable to provide this data as at 19 November 2018 without incurring disproportionate cost.

Farms: Floods

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his Department's policy is on financial support for farmers affected by heavy flooding.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments that compensation is not paid for losses due to damage caused by flooding or coastal erosion. This is because, except in very limited circumstance, no-one has a right to flood or coastal erosion defences or, if defences are provided, there is no legal requirement to provide any particular standard of defence.   Farms are businesses and, like all businesses, should take actions to try and limit the impacts of flooding on their property or assets, and aim to have insurance in place for any losses incurred by a flood.

Air Pollution: Children

Sir Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect children from the health effects  of toxic air.

Dr Thérèse Coffey: The government’s Air Quality Grant Programme provides funding to local authorities; funding projects in local communities to tackle air pollution and reduce emissions affecting schools, businesses and residents. Local authorities have a duty to monitor and assess air quality and to take action to reduce pollution where these breach statutory limits, and are best placed to determine local priorities.   Defra awarded a total of £2.4 million to local authorities in England from the 2017/18 air quality grant fund; £3.7 million was awarded in 2016/17, and £0.5 million in 2015/6. £3 million has been allocated for 2018/19.   While all measures which reduce air pollution will reduce exposure of children to these harmful pollutants, some projects have elements that are specifically targeted at children. For example: In 2016-17, the London Borough of Islington were awarded £50k to run a local school focused awareness and engagement campaign through the air quality grant; and In 2017/18, Spelthorne Borough Council were given £145,188 to run an awareness campaign in schools across Surrey.   Details of further funding from the Air Quality Grant Programme, including funding specifically directed at children can be found on the Air Quality Grant Programme webpage here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/air-quality-grant-programme.   The Government has also put in place a £3.5 billion plan to improve air quality and reduce harmful emissions, which includes £495 million for councils to improve air quality. Councils with serious air quality problems may bid for a share of these funds. We have consulted on our new world leading Clean Air Strategy, which includes new and ambitious goals, legislation, investment and policies which will help us to clean up our air faster and more effectively.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Brexit

Sir Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the ability of his Department to implement its Departmental Plan in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

David Rutley: All Departments are planning for how their programmes for leaving the EU relate to the negotiation timetable. Defra is assessing the impact of different scenarios on its business as a whole, and incorporating this into its business, financial and workforce planning to inform prioritisation and the Single Departmental Plan.

Home Office

Criminal Investigation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of crimes were investigated solely (a) by telephone and (b) online in each territorial police force in each of the last four years.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office collects and publishes data on how crimes recorded by police forces in England and Wales have been resolved, which are published quarterly. Latest figures for the year ending June 2018, can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/crime-outcomes-in-england-and-wales-year-to-june-2018-data-tablesHowever, from data received by the Home Office, it is not possible to identify if the crime was investigated by (a) by telephone (b) online.

EU Nationals: Employment

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations his Department has received from employer bodies on the right to work checks that they will be required to carry out on EU citizens when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations his Department has received from landlord bodies on the right to rent checks that they will be required to carry out on EU citizens when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations his Department has received from banks and banking bodies on the immigration checks that they will be required to carry out on EU citizens when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, by what date the digital portal through which employers will carry out digital right to work checks on EU citizens is planned to be rolled out.

Afzal Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information employers will be able to see through the digital portal through which they will be able to conduct right to work checks on EU citizens.

Caroline Nokes: The Government has made clear that the current arrangements for conducting checks on EU nationals, involving the use of national passports and identity cards, will not change immediately when the UK leaves the EU in March, but will continue during any implementation period.The Home Office has engaged with a wide range of groups, including UK employers, landlords and financial service providers, on the design of the EU Settlement Scheme and the online service which will enable those granted leave under the scheme to demonstrate their status where required as part of the introduction of the future border and immigration system. We will continue to engage widely as we develop and implement other aspects of the future system.The Home Office launched a new on-line service for employers conducting right to work checks on 6 April this year, focused initially on checks of non-EU migrants holding biometric residence permits or biometric residence cards. The online service operates on the basis of the migrant first viewing their right to work status, then consenting for the employer to see the data. Employers in receipt of a ‘share code’ provided by the applicant will see the person’s name, facial image and any information which is relevant to their right to work. During any implementation period, use of the new online service by EU citizens will be optional, but in the future border and immigration system this is intended to be the means by which they evidence their status when undergoing statutory immigration checks.

Offences against Children: Criminal Investigation

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to ensure that all police forces have sufficient specialist child sexual exploitation investigators.

Mr Nick Hurd: We have prioritised child sexual abuse as a national threat in the Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR), one of six such threats that require prioritisation by police forces. This will empower police forces to maximise their specialist skills and expertise and facilitate prioritisation and planning of capabilities to tackle this terrible crime.We are also strengthening law enforcement capacity and capability and have provided significant extra investment through the Police Transformation Fund (PTF) to transform policing to respond to changing crimes and threats, including crimes against vulnerable individuals such as child sexual abuse. This includes a comprehensive package of learning developed by the College of Policing which is focussed on understanding and identifying different areas of vulnerability, including child sexual exploitation.

Slavery: Business

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent plans his Department has made to enforce Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Victoria Atkins: Last month, the Home Office issued letters directly to the CEOs of approximately 17,000 organisations about obligations under Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.The Home Office plans to carry out an audit at the end of this financial year and intends to publicly name non-compliant organisations.

Slavery: Business

Alex Norris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress his Department on creating a registry of businesses that are obligated to produce a slavery and human-trafficking statement as outlined in Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Victoria Atkins: The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. The Review will identify where the legislation is working well, how implementation can be improved and whether specific areas of the Act need to be strengthened including Section 54 (Transparency in Supply Chains requirements) of the Act.The Review is due to report its recommendations to the Home Office at the end of March 2019. Further to these recommendations the Home Office will consider whether further measures are required to improve compliance with Section 54.

Slavery and Trafficking Reparation Orders

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many orders have been issued under Section 9 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Atkins: To the end of the calendar year 2017, the latest period for which data is available, no slavery and trafficking reparation orders have been made. This data can be accessed via the link below.We are pleased that the current Review of the Modern Slavery Act will be looking at the effectiveness of these powers and we look forward to receiving their findings in the spring.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733981/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2017-update.xlsx

Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many orders have been issued under section 23 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015; and if he will make a statement.

Victoria Atkins: In England and Wales, between July 2015 (when the Modern Slavery Act came into force) and June 2018, 35 Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders were made.This information is available in the 2018 Annual Report on Modern Slavery, available on gov.uk via this link:  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/749346/2018_UK_Annual_Report_on_Modern_Slavery.pdf

Police: Psychiatric Patients

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effect on people with mental health issues of being transported to a place of safety in a police car.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Home Office has not made an assessment of the impact of transporting people with mental health issues in a police car. The Mental Health Code of Practice states that a health vehicle should be used to transport mental health detainees.The Home Office are working with Health and police partners to understand why police cars are used to transport people in 52% of cases and what further can be done to reduce this figure. The welfare of those the police come into contact with is paramount, and officers will be aware of this and treat people appropriately.

Russia: Interpol

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to prevent Russia abusing Interpol notices and rules for internal political aims.

Mr Nick Hurd: The Government considers very seriously any misuse of INTERPOL notices and strongly supports INTERPOL’s efforts to ensure systems are in place that protect individuals’ human rights in line with Article 3 of INTERPOL's Constitution which strictly forbids any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.The Home Office is continuing to work with INTERPOL and the National Crime Agency (NCA), which acts as the UK’s National Central Bureau for INTERPOL, on this matter.

Interpol

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to help maintain the integrity and independence of Interpol.

Mr Nick Hurd: INTERPOL is a crucial organisation for police to police cooperation between 194 Member Countries.Article 3 of INTERPOL’s constitution forbids the organisation from undertaking any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character. Furthermore, INTERPOL’s Commission for the Control of Files provides independent oversight to ensure that INTERPOL processes personal data in accordance with INTERPOL’s rules and Constitution.The Government is working with INTERPOL to ensure the right systems are in place to protect individuals’ rights to maintain the integrity and independence of the organisation.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of granting an exemption to the continuance residence qualifications for Settled Status to non-UK EU citizens who are the current or former spouses or partners of service personnel who have been based outside the UK.

Caroline Nokes: The Government is committed to the military covenant which ensures that military personnel, or their families, are not disadvantaged by virtue of their military service. We are therefore considering carefully how this should be reflected in the eligibility requirements of the EU Settlement Scheme. We will set out further details in due course.

Immigration

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19 November 2018 to Question 190910, for what reasons he cannot indicate in which of the remaining weeks of the year he intends to place the immigration White Paper before the House.

Caroline Nokes: The Government will publish a White Paper on the UK's future border and immigration system later this year.

Wales Office

Wales Office: Trade Unions

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, which trade unions he has met in the last 12 months; and on what dates those meetings took place.

Alun Cairns: I regularly meet representatives from the full array of unions in Wales and this week I will be hosting a roundtable with unions from across the various industry sectors in Wales.

Wales Office: Christmas Cards

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of his Department's spending on (a) departmental Christmas cards and (b) postage for Christmas 2018.

Nigel Adams: The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales has not yet estimated departmental spending on Christmas cards and postage for Christmas 2018.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent bilateral meetings he has had with (a) the Welsh First Minister, (b) other Welsh Cabinet Ministers and (c) UK Government Cabinet Ministers on ensuring that the proposed Shared Prosperity Fund respects devolution settlements.

Alun Cairns: Holding answer received on 23 November 2018



I hold regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and Welsh Government ministers on a range of issues, including EU Exit. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund provides the UK with an enormous opportunity to redefine the way we invest our own money in line with the specific priorities of all nations of our Union.

Wales Office: Freedom of Information

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many freedom of information requests his Department has received in each of the last three years.

Nigel Adams: The number of freedom of information requests received by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales is shown below: YearNumber of FOI Requests Received2015-161712016-171212017-18176

Wales Office: Staff

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what proportion of employees in his Department identify as (a) male and (b) female; and what the average hourly pay was for staff identifying as (a) male and (b) female in each of the last three years.

Nigel Adams: The Office of the Secretary of State for Wales (OSSW) is not an employer in its own right. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) provide employment services on our behalf. Currently the MoJ does not collect data on the way in which staff identify their gender, only data relating to their sex. As at 31 October 2018, 53% of MoJ employees assigned to OSSW were recorded as being female and 47% as being male. The average hourly pay for staff recorded as (a) male and (b) female at the end of each of the last 3 financial years, is set out below:  Average Hourly Rate 2015/162016/172017/18(a) Male£19.55£19.02£20.67(b) Female £17.48£17.20£19.51

Brexit: Wales

Jo Stevens: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) discussions and (b) meetings he has had with the Welsh Government on the draft Withdrawal Agreement for the UK leaving the EU since the announcement (i) of that draft Agreement (ii) that the Welsh Government does not support the draft Agreement.

Alun Cairns: I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on EU exit including at meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations) which has met twice in the past two weeks; 13 November and 19 November. These meetings have provided an opportunity to discuss the draft Withdrawal Agreement and outline Political Declaration with the devolved administrations on a multilateral basis.The Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office have also held several discussions with the First Ministers and Cabinet Ministers from the devolved administrations since the draft Withdrawal Agreement was announced.

Church Commissioners

Christ Church College

John Howell: To ask the Right Honourable Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what support is being provided to the dean of Christ Church college Oxford in his dispute with the college and cathedral authorities.

Dame Caroline Spelman: Christ Church is a complex institution and, uniquely in the Church of England, the Dean is also the head of an Oxford college. The complaint against the Dean is an internal matter for the college, and neither the Church Commissioners nor the wider Church of England have any role in that process. The Bishop of Oxford remains in close contact with the Dean and is monitoring the situation closely.A statement made to the Oxford Diocesan Synod by the Bishop of Oxford can be read here: https://www.oxford.anglican.org/diocesan-synod-statement-dean-of-oxford-martyn-percy/

Cabinet Office

Rendition and Torture: Inquiries

Ian Murray: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the answer of 12 November to Question 188227 on Rendition and Torture: Inquiries, whether the Government plans to announce its decision on an independent judge-led inquiry before the House rises for Christmas recess.

Mr David Lidington: I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the Prime Minister’s Written Ministerial Statement of 22 November. (HCWS1100)

Elections: Visual Impairment

Marsha De Cordova: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Government’s Response to the Call for Evidence on Access to Elections published 30 August 2018, whether he can provide an update on the progress of the Accessibility Working Group's consideration of the viability of sending out electoral information by electronic means to blind and partially-sighted people.

Chloe Smith: The Government chaired Accessibility of Elections Working Group is considering how the actions contained in the Government’s response to the Call for Evidence on Access to Elections to improve the accessibility of elections can be delivered, including testing the additional sending of information from poll cards by electronic means to disabled people who request this service. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and the Royal Society for Blind Children, which are members of the Working Group, are providing insight on the particular requirements for blind and partially sighted people. Feedback from two authorities that have used email to send out poll card information at recent elections is currently being reviewed.

Blood: Contamination

Tommy Sheppard: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the October 2018 letter from Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, what plans he has to he has to enhance financial and psychological support to those affected by infected blood and blood products; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Lidington: It is for the Department of Health and Social Care to consider the issue of financial support raised by Sir Brian Langstaff in his letter. The Minister for Minister for Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention has expressed her willingness to meet the Inquiry team and other discussions may follow.

Treasury

Minimum Wage: Work Experience

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2018 to Question 187012, how many civil sanctions have been applied to employers for failing to pay the national minimum wage (a) in total and (b) in relation to internship roles in each year since 1 January 2017.

Mel Stride: The government is determined to ensure that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have not been paid the NMW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 or via the online complaints form at gov.uk. HMRC reviews all complaints that are referred to them. All businesses, irrespective of size or business sector are responsible for paying the correct minimum wage to their staff. HMRC won’t hesitate to take action to ensure that workers receive what they are legally entitled to. Most NMW cases are subject to civil (non-criminal) sanctions, the consequences of which include fines of up to 200% of the determined underpayment, and public naming. In 2016/17, HMRC issued around £4 million in penalties to 821 employers for underpaying NMW to workers, and in 2017/18 issued over £14 million in penalties to 810 employers. It is not possible to identify all NMW breaches involving the employment of interns, as HMRC does not routinely record the employment characteristics of individual workers who are owed and paid arrears. In most cases, interns would be repaid alongside all other workers and the data recorded as a single entry against the company.

Personal Income

Mr Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there will be in net annual income between financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 for a person earning £12,000 gross per annum as a result of changes to personal allowances and national insurance contributions from April 2019.

Mel Stride: A person earning pay of £12,000 gross per annum (evenly spread across the year) in all parts of the UK excluding Scotland will have an increase of £54.96 in their net annual income between financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 as a result of changes to personal allowances and national insurance contributions (NICs) from April 2019. A typical basic rate taxpayer in all parts of the UK excluding Scotland will pay £130 less in income tax in 2019-20 than in 2018-19.

Brexit

Mr David Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the level of financial liabilities that would arise pursuant to the provisions of Article 143 of the draft Withdrawal Agreement with the EU.

John Glen: Under Article 143 of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will continue to stand behind a share of the EU’s contingent liabilities related to financial operations up to the date of withdrawal. These contingent liabilities are reported to Parliament in the Consolidated Fund accounts as having a remote probability of crystallising. The UK will also get a share of the associated pre-paid guarantee funds and reflows from the financial operations and, in the event of a contingent liability being triggered, the UK will receive its share of any subsequent amounts recovered by the EU.

Public Sector: Pensions

Louise Haigh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much he has allocated to the Home Office for 2019-20 to cover changes in relation to quadrennial valuations of the public service pension schemes.

Elizabeth Truss: The Budget allocated extra funding to the reserve for 2019-20 to cover an expected £4.7 billion of unforeseen additional costs arising from the ongoing valuations of public service pension schemes. The Treasury is currently working with departments to confirm departmental allocations of this funding.

Financial Services

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the November 2018 Outline Political Declaration on the Future Relationship, whether EU equivalence decisions on UK financial services will be revocable with 30 days' notice; and if he will make a statement.

John Glen: The financial services section of the Political Declaration on the Future Relationship outlines that as part of the close and structured cooperation between the UK and EU on regulatory and supervisory matters that there should be initial decisions on equivalence by June 2020 and clear processes around the suspension and withdrawal of equivalence decisions in future. As of today, there are 43 equivalence provisions in EU legislation across a range of financial services sectors, of which only three[1] state that jurisdictional equivalence can be withdrawn with 30 days’ notice. The agreement reached with the EU will establish new processes to give further confidence to firms and consumers that the equivalence relationship between the EU and UK will be a durable one. [1] MiFIR Article 33, STFR Article 21 and EMIR Article 13

Shipping: Containers

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance HMRC uses to select containers from importers for entry checks; and how HMRC determines whether values declared for customs purposes are deemed to be sufficiently low as to warrant the seizure of containers.

Mel Stride: As part of the UK’s wider approach to tackling customs fraud HMRC and Border Force perform inland pre-clearance checks targeted at high risk traders. This is ongoing activity and it is not appropriate to share details on such operational matters.

Shipping: Containers

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will list the locations where HMRC takes containers due to be examined for import entry checks on customs declarations.

Mel Stride: The current sites used for these checks are at Heathrow and Bicester. As the contracts for the current sites will shortly be coming to an end, HMRC will soon be moving its inland pre-clearance operations to new purpose equipped sites at Hayes, Middlesex and Milton Keynes.

Brexit

Matthew Pennycook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 November 2018 to Question 185719 on Brexit and with reference to paragraph 4.111 of the OBR’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook published in October 2018, how much of the current £0.4 billion underspend estimate is within the Brexit funding pot.

Elizabeth Truss: On 13 March 2018, the Treasury confirmed allocations of c.£1.6bn to departments. A full breakdown of the allocation can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS540, which can be found at https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-03-13/HCWS540/.The Economic and Fiscal Outlook is produced by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility. As part of their fiscal forecast they take a judgement on how much departments will underspend on aggregate DEL spending. This information is available at https://cdn.obr.uk/EFO_October-2018.pdf.

EU Budget

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Draft agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, what estimate he has made of the maximum amount of financial claims that the EU could make against the UK under the provisions in Article 136 and Article 140.

John Glen: Under Article 143 (formerly Article 136) of the draft Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will stand behind a share of EU contingent liabilities related to financial operations up to withdrawal. These are reported in the Consolidated Fund accounts as having a remote probability of crystallising. The UK will receive a share of the pre-paid guarantee funds and reflows from these operations and, in the event of crystallisation, the UK will receive its share of any amounts recovered by the EU. Under Article 147 (formerly Article 140), the UK will stand behind a share of EU contingent liabilities arising from legal cases related to the budget and linked policies and programmes up to the end of 2020. These are reported in the EU’s consolidated annual accounts of the European Union.

Living Wage

Jo Stevens: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer,  how many (a) attempted prosecutions, (b) successful prosecutions and (c) penalties imposed for failing to pay the National Living Wage there have been in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland, and (iv) Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Mel Stride: HMRC reviews all National Minimum Wage (NMW) complaints that are referred to them, in order to ensure that workers receive what they are legally entitled to. Breaches of NMW legislation are normally a civil matter, and consequences for not complying with paying NMW can include fines of up to 200% of the arrears and public naming. For the most serious NMW breaches, HMRC will refer cases to the CPS who decide whether to prosecute. All HMRC NMW cases taken forward by the CPS have resulted in successful prosecution. HMRC records do not distinguish between National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage (NLW) cases, nor is data available by reference to individual countries of the United Kingdom. For the years 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018, HMRC undertook a number of successful criminal and civil actions against employers who failed to pay NMW to their workers.  2015/20162016/20172017/2018Successful prosecutions 41Civil penalties815821810

Attorney General

Crown Prosecution Service: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2018 to Question 175908, how many staff the Crown Prosecution Service employed (a) in each region and (b) at CPS Direct as at (i) 30 September 2018 and (ii) 30 September 2008.

Robert Buckland: As of 30 September 2018, the CPS employed a total of 5,936 staff across its Area/Regional and HQ functions. A breakdown is provided in the following table:DepartmentHeadcount TotalCPS Headquarters502Central Casework Divisions706CPS Direct181Cymru Wales275East Midlands318East of England258London North456London South476Mersey Cheshire235North East259North West464South East251South West219Thames & Chiltern271Wessex217West Midlands422Yorkshire & Humberside426Grand Total5936  As of 30 September 2008, the CPS employed a total of 8,768 staff across its Area/Regional and HQ functions. A breakdown is provided in the following table:DepartmentHeadcount TotalCPS Headquarters587Central Casework233CPS Direct158East Midlands596Eastern432Greater Manchester498Lancashire & Cumbria331London1367Merseyside & Cheshire385North & West Yorkshire415North East462South East444South West370South Yorkshire & Humberside311Thames & Chiltern422Cymru Wales480Wessex392West Midlands885Grand Total8,768(Data Source Trent HR Database as at 22/11/2018)

Crown Prosecution Service: Staff

Steve McCabe: To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the answer of 16 October 2018 to Question 175908, during the same period what the change has been in the overall case load for the Crown Prosecution Service.

Robert Buckland: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) maintains a central record of the volumes of completed prosecutions, or caseload, as a count of the number of defendants. The table below shows the number of prosecutions for both the 12 months ending September 2008 and September 2018 and the change in both volume and percent.  Year Ending September 2008 Year Ending September 2018 Volume Change Change % CPS Prosecution Caseload 1,051,047511,090-539,957-51.4%(Data Source: Case Management Information System) The types of cases prosecuted by the CPS have changed significantly in the period between 2008 and 2018. Prosecutions for more serious and complex cases have risen, including a 5% increase in homicide, a 17% increase in fraud and forgery and a 28% increase in sexual offences cases. During the same period, minor motoring cases have fallen by 74% as responsibility for prosecuting some of these cases has transferred to the police.